Scams and Fraud

A new registry could make it mandatory for texts to disclose a sender ID in the latest crackdown by the government on SMS text scammers.

Financial counsellors and community leaders warn residents in remote communities in Western Australia to remain vigilant of a rise in scams ahead of tax time. 

A new US State Department report highlights alleged Cambodian government "corruption and official complicity" in human trafficking for the online scam industry just days after a high-level Cambodian delegation visited Australia to learn about how to "fight against technological crime".

Lee fought the financial ombudsman all the way to the federal court when scammers stole his super. Despite winning he only got some money back and after legal fees he's worse off.

It all started with a phone call from a well-spoken man who claimed he worked for a well-known bank. Now, Harriet has lost the proceeds from the sale of her widowed mother's home. 

A 41-year-old man from Melbourne's west has been arrested as part of an investigation into more than 500 allegedly fraudulent applications for COVID-19 payments during the pandemic. 

Shannara Cindy Dyball, 26, defrauded a Queensland container refund company of about $95,500, under the noses of her bosses for almost a year, the District Court in Toowoomba has heard.

Women in regional Australia are being funnelled into a multi-level marketing scheme promising a "multiple-six-figure business online" — but the "freedom" they seek comes at a cost.

Troy Stephen Bell stands trial accused of using his position of power to "syphon" money meant for a program to keep "at-risk" youth who had disengaged from mainstream education in training programs.

Scammers are using loyalty point programs as the latest way to try to trick you. To keep you safe, here are the common signs to watch out for. 

Even if a data breach doesn't end with someone using your credit card details, that doesn't mean you're in the clear.

Properties in Brisbane and far north Queensland have been searched following 120 charges of alleged financial misconduct spanning six years.

Mary Mercedes Lea'aeto forged the woman's signature on withdrawal forms multiple times over a nine-month period in what prosecutors labelled a "calculated" crime.

Melbourne man Ilker has been dealing with fraudulent traffic offences, public transport fines and financial crime for three years, since his licence details were stolen.

Robert Baudin printed around $2 million in fake US notes. When he (eventually) faced court, he took to the air and threatened to crash into Sydney Harbour.

In the Dubai desert lies a scam factory capable of swindling tens of thousands of people at a time. But one scammer has a secret plan that could shut the whole syndicate down. 

An early 20th century scam involved a promise of diamonds and gold, faux investors, fake letters and a quirky typewriter – all centred on what locals call a "bloody big hole".

Public Transport Victoria has confirmed a small number of people with unregistered myki cards have had funds stolen from their accounts.

"Scam-baiter" Jim Browning takes Background Briefing inside the world of cybercrime and exposes the tactics used to con Australians out of nearly $3 billion a year.

Kim Heptinstall died after surgery in 2019, and in the hours afterwards Travis Paul Barnard changed the beneficiary of her superannuation to himself, gaining access to more than $300,000. 

A man who has pleaded not guilty to dozens of charges denies he told storm victims he held a builder's licence. 

These tiny homes were sold to Australians as part of a solution to the nation's housing crisis. The company involved took the money for them but never delivered.

While Australians appear to be getting better at avoiding scams, with total losses trending down according to the ACCC, there's an emerging scam which is defying the trend.

False documentation might be one of the oldest scams in the book but scammers are now able to fake being a company more easily — and Australians are falling for it.

When Jo O'Brien lost $500,000 to a scammer, she set out to track him down, eventually finding the man she believed was responsible. She sent him a text.